I have a 2002 ATX neon sxt model and am looking for ways to make easy power. What kind of bolt on's or "plug and play" parts should I get to make more power?

I'm thinking the usual, I/H/E. Ebay header, exhaust and intake, a cold air or a short ram.

Is there another ecu or tuning device I can plug in to make more power? Gas mileage wouldn't hurt either.

Down the road though, I would like to get into some heavy mods like building engines for more power, like a 2.4 swap or something NA. Or if I could turbo a 2.0 that'd be sweet too . I just need to know how to tune it.

As of now I don't know what kind of intake manifold or exhaust I need to use, or even what PCM to run. Its all foreign to me, and this is the first domestic I've ever had. Lol

The factory exhaust flows well enough that a header won't make much difference. The only "performance" manifold from the factory, or otherwise is the Magnum IM. You could $pend for an All Motor Mike unit, or similar, but they won't be worth the gains you will see with the ATX, and mostly stock engine. Most are made for the upper rpm ranges, so you won't benefit much.

Keeping it N/A, the biggest power adders would be going with a Comp Cams 400 cam, Magnum springs to go with it, and a Magnum head/header. This combo has been used with an ATX with decent success. Granted, a 5 speed will always beat the ATX for power to the ground, but you have to start somewhere.

If you feel creative, search "ghetto blaster" for a manifold. With the ATX, you want to keep the runners as long as possible.

Something like this old pic of mine in the mock up stages:
_________________Bill

My old honda all you had to do was losen the timing bolt, remove the top timing cover, and then the valve cover and rocker arm. LIterally an hour job.

Seems like if you wanna replace the cam you may as well replace the whole engine too, haha.

And really, a ghetto blaster? Lol sounds like crack blaster more like it. Like crack head engineering. I mean the plastic instake, that metal one looks nice. I've heard ppl tell me never to use jb weld on your engine so I think that's out of the question. And I can't weld so no metal one for me. But how much power does that really add, the plastic one I mean., lol..

Any mods that make higher RPM power that you can gain by porting an aluminum IM, will make your ATX car pretty much worthless for DD use. Are you going to drive around at 5000 plus RPM all day?

You have to think more of what power you can make at the average RPM use you currently have. Even with an MTX this is important. But being the ATX is a bit more limited in the RPM band, it is more crucial. There aren't many options for the 41te as far as higher stall converters. And zero affordable options.

Without rpm to get the car into a higher power band, any serious mods are just going to make your car fall on it's face until you get over 55 mph, or more. Sure it might do 130 mph, after about 10 minutes.

Stock PCM will run a Comp 400. It is the biggest cam you can run with the factory PCM. anything bigger will require a rev limit above 7200 rpm to be of any use.

By the time you spend to make a bigger cam work, from engine management to MTX conversion, you could be well on your way to boost, with very good driving manners, and far more power._________________Bill